Books in Review: First Half of 2018
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2018 is already half way done, which means it is time for my first half of the year books in review! Below are the books I have read through June. I will attempt to give a short summary, my rating, and who I think this book would be good for. I would love to hear your thoughts on what I should read for the second half of 2018! If you want to follow the other books I am reading feel free to follow me on Goodreads.
The Daily Stoic
Summary: Daily wisdom from the great stoic minds. Technically I read this last year and finished on January 1st, but this book is so good I am re-reading it throughout 2018. This book has a daily passage for each day which includes a short quote from a stoic philosopher, followed by a very short summary on how this can be applied to daily life
My rating: 5/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for practical daily wisdom for how to treat relationships, work, strangers, or even death.
American Gods
Summary: A dark and interesting take on mythology in American culture. Days before leaving prison, Shadow's wife dies in a car accident. Once released from prison Shadow meets Mr Wednesday and is thrown into a cross country adventure across America
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for a dark (sometimes with elements of horror) book full of adventure, mythology, and satire.
Dad is Fat
Summary: Jim Gaffigan's witty humor in book form. This book had me laughing out loud in many areas.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone who enjoys Jim Gaffigan, a parent, or those looking for a good clean laugh.
Think and Grow Rich
Summary: I finally got around to reading this book after seeing it on just about every "must read" self help book list. There are some practical nuggets throughout which were beneficial to life, but much of the book was Hill's take on the "laws of attraction" philosophy, which I am not a great fan of.
My rating: 3/5
Who this book is for: Anyone who is a believer in the "laws of attraction" school of thought, and how that can applied to business.
Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual
Summary: Last year I was introduced to Jocko through his book Extreme Ownership. It was the perfect book for me at that time in my life. Discipline Equals Freedom is Jocko's mindset and philosophy on everything from exercise to sleep. Short, punchy, and motivating!
My rating: 5/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for a kick in the pants to do the things they want to do, or need to do!
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Summary: Tech startups are a dime a dozen today. Silicon Valley seems to be the only place where innovation can happen. Thiel argues that advances are yet to be made in all industries, we just need to learn how to ask the questions which help us uncover untapped innovation by thinking for ourselves.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone with an interest in starting their own business, or anyone looking to get find ways to grow the business they are currently apart of.
Awaken the Giant Within
Summary: For years I have seen this book on "must read" lists, and for years I was skeptical about another self help book. This book was life changing for me! It is easily one of my favorite self improvement books I have ever read. It will be a book I revisit over and over in the years to come!
My rating: 5/5
Who this book is for: Anyone that feels stuck in life and wanting to make a change. It is not a small book, but it is worth the time.
Introducing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Work
Summary: I really enjoy listening to podcasts, or reading materials on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It is a form of psychology which I believe can help any person out there. I was hoping this book would better apply to how this could be used in the workplace. There are still helpful examples throughout, it just wasn't as deep as I was hoping.
My rating: 3/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for a true introduction to CBT.
Stealing Fire
Summary: This book explores the different ways humans have attempted to hack their minds and bodies to tap into their "flow" or speed up their learning. It explores everything from meditation, to physical devices, and even psychedelics. This book left me thinking long after I was finished.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone interested in become more productive and/or efficient, or anyone wanting to expand their minds on culturally taboo topics.
Draft No. 4
Summary: The past few months I have been trying to write more than ever. Since my writing is non-fiction, I wanted to learn from the experts on how to write compelling and engaging pieces. John McPhee is a Pulitzer Prize winner who has worked for Time and The New Yorker and is a pioneer in creative non-fiction. This book lays out the writing process he has used to create award winning stories.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone wanting to raise their writing skills up a notch.
Way of the Warrior Kid
Summary: As I mentioned earlier, I have been influenced and motivated by Jocko's materials. When I saw this book I was excited to share his principles with my kids in a way they could understand...and this book did not disappoint. This book held their attention the entire time and gave them practical wisdom to apply to their lives (and some which I even applied to my life).
My rating: 5/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for an easy and fun way to teach self discipline to their children.
Family Shepherds
Summary: I read this book with my Mastermind Group earlier this year. All of us have young children who we want to raise in wisdom and in a way which honors God. This book sparked some great conversations on how we could do just that.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Any Christian father looking for a way to lead his family in the best way possible.
10% Happier
Summary: This book was not what I expected. I thought this book would be practical ways to start, or improve, a mindfulness practice. Instead it was a memoir by Dan Harris detailing his experience of having an on air anxiety attack which lead him to find peace through mindfulness.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone wanting an inside look into someone's journey into mindfulness.
Crushing It!
Summary: If you have been on social media at all, the likelihood that you have seen a post by GaryVee is very high. Gary is an entrepreneur that has grown his business, and other's, by utilizing social media. This book gives examples from Gary and others on how they utilize the different social media platforms to grow their business and personal brand.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for a way to utilize social media to grow their business and personal brand.
Never Split the Difference
Summary: We all negotiate in one form or another in our lives. This book is more geared toward how to effectively negotiate in business, but has very practical ways on how the skill of negotiation can be applied to personal relationships as well.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for ways to improve their negotiating skills so as not to be taken advantage of, or to be more effective in their work and relationships.
12 Rules for Life
Summary: This might be my favorite book of the year so far. If I had to summarize Peterson's message in two words it would be "fix yourself". We cannot attempt to fix the broken relationships around us, resolve conflict at work, or find peace in a divided country if we do not first identify what is broken in us, and work toward fixing that. Only then will we have a chance to tackle the issues that have been afflicting the human race since the beginning of time. You can find my full review here.
My rating: 5/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking to find order and a way forward in their life.
Factfulness
Summary: The world is not as bad as it appears on the news. Humans around the world have never been more wealthy, safe, and educated as they are at this point in human history. Not that there isn't still work yet to be done, but Hans Rosling gives an optimistic view of where we are heading.
My rating: 5/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking to have their thoughts challenged and find an optimistic view of the world.
10-Minute Mindfulness
Summary: Mindfulness can be found in everything from washing the dishes to making a cup of coffee. This book gives 71 examples on how to practice mindfulness throughout the day.
My rating: 4/5
Who this book is for: Anyone looking for ways to begin or expand their mindfulness practice.